Whether you’re starting from scratch or just moving down the block, moving into a new place can be a long and expensive process. Not just because of the physical moving itself, but because decorating a home is a full-time job (I mean, there’s a reason rich people hire interior designers, right?). I recently moved to a new place a few months ago, and I feel like I’m still not even close to finished decorating my spot. So, I wanted to share some of the first purchases I made to make my new house feel more like a home without spending a ton of money.

1. Easy, affordable wall art

Decorating your new home’s walls is a daunting task. First off, art is expensive, and don’t even get me started on framing. Second, it’s hard to decide where to commit to hanging stuff when you haven’t even finalized your furniture configurations yet. In my last apartment, I kept putting off wall art until it was time to move out, and I didn’t wanna fall into that trap again. So, I bought a bunch of prints (and accompanying frames) from Desenio. I specifically selected pieces that I could see matching in multiple rooms of my house, so that they could be versatile (I currently have this YSL heel shadow art hanging in my vanity area, but I feel like it would look just as cute in my office or in a gallery wall in my living room). I also got some plain frames for framing sentimental stuff like concert tickets or personal photos. If you’re still stuck, Desenio has a feature on their site for designing your own gallery wall, which I think is pretty cool for people who are not very confident in their interior designing skills (like me). You can also add Picture Hooks ($4.95) to your order so you have everything you need to start hanging things up!

SHOP NOW

2. Throw rugs + carpets

LOCHAS Luxury Round Fluffy Area Rug, $22 via Amazon

I know that marble and hardwood floors are all the rage (and I love them too), but something about walking on a carpet just feels warmer and more home-like. I got a little shag rug from Typo for my bathroom and I swear it transformed the entire room. It looks like they don’t have anymore sold right now (which is sad because I can’t find any other rugs with text on them like mine), but I found a similar one style-wise on Amazon!

BUY ONE NOW

3. Something that smells good

Stone Candle Bar Smells Like Pumpkin Spice Reed Diffuser, $20 (USE CODE ASH10 for 10% off)

I can’t lie, I love the wood-y smell that comes with new homes, but if you’re moving into a non-new home, you’re going to want to clear the air and freshen it up with your own scent. Candles give great scent, plus warm up the room (both physically and visually), but I always forget to put them out. Instead, I tend to gravitate towards diffusers, like this one from Stone Candle Bar (they also sell room sprays). If you’re feeling extra fancy, you can try Pura, a subscription-based scent plug-in product that allows you to control the scent (including the strength of it) from your phone.

SHOP NOW

4. Decoration-worthy snacks + drinks

Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, $38.95 via Amazon

Everybody wants an organized kitchen, but a kitchen with no food in sight kind of looks like it’s in a showroom rather than a home. Purchase a cute fruit bowl and fill it with your favorite fruits and veggies for a nice pop of color. Or, selectively choose olive oil bottles, wine, tea boxes, and spice containers that fit your aesthetic and look nice on your counter. I currently have been using Kosterina olive oil and I love the way it doesn’t look out of place on my white kitchen counters.

SHOP NOW

5. Boudoir Organization Tools

JACKCUBE DESIGN Hanging Jewelry Organizer, $19 on Amazon

When you’re staying at a hotel for the weekend, what does your bathroom counter look like? If you’re like me, it’s probably covered with toiletry bags, skincare products, makeup, jewelry, and maybe even hair or eyelash extensions. You do not want your bathroom counter at home to feel like a hotel room, but the only way to avoid this is to organize! If your bathroom drawers and medicine cabinets aren’t cutting it for you, grab some basic shelves from Amazon for extra storage space. I also love this jewelry shelf from Amazon that’s perfect for hanging necklaces off of—plus you can store skincare products (or just cute stuff) up top for decor!

BUY IT NOW

I’m going to show you how to make a monthly budget based on how I make my own — and I included screenshots from my personal budget!

“How are you able to travel the world on a writer’s salary?”

“How can you live by yourself in one of the most expensive cities in the world?”

“What tips do you have for saving money while traveling full-time?”

These are some of the questions I’ve gotten in my Instagram DM’s regarding money. They’re similar to questions I’ve gotten about my workout routine in that I feel like most of the people who ask me these questions want a “hack” or a “one and done” type answer that’ll completely solve their problems.

Unfortunately, when it comes to saving money or losing weight, there generally isn’t a shortcut (don’t get me started on NFTs). It’s more about creating a plan that works for you and sticking to it. 

Everyone comes from a different financial background and from a unique starting point, but in my humble opinion, everyone could use a budget. 

I personally have been on a budget since my senior year of college. I knew I would probably be moving to New York City once I graduated, and knew that I needed some serious cash to make that happen. I was working what felt like a zillion odd jobs at the time, and I wanted to get a sense of how much I was making from each income source and how much I was spending in all the various aspects of my life (groceries, transportation, bills, etc.). 

So, my boyfriend at the time helped me create an Excel sheet (he was an accounting major) where I could input all my income and expenses each month. 

You may be thinking to yourself, “wait, you’ve been on a budget since college…don’t you ever let yourself spend $?” Of course I do. There are some months where I let myself go over budget (actually, many months). I use the Excel sheet just to have a gut check and idea of how much money I “need” each month and how much money I have coming in. I am a freelancer, so the amount coming in changes pretty much every month. And of course, my monthly spending amount has changed significantly since I was in college (by a couple thousand at least).

Whether you want to join the budget-lifestyle like me, or are simply trying to save for a few months, here’s how to make a monthly budget for wherever you’re at in life:

Step 1: Get An Idea of Your Monthly Income

First things first, you need to know how much you’re making each month. Of course, this can be easier said than done if you’re a freelancer or self-employed like I am.

If you work a salaried job, this is simple. Just check your pay stubs or bank account to see how much you earn each month after taxes. 

If you’re more like me, you can do a couple of things. You may have an idea of how much you’re making next month because you’ll be getting paid for the work you did this month. If not, you can use this month as an example and adjust as you go. Alternatively, you can also separately think about each of your income sources and make a guesstimate of the average amount you make from that source each month. Here’s an example:

Galore Magazine: $250

Sephora Copywriting: $2000

Instagram Collaborations: $1000

This doesn’t have to be set in stone. So if you get a new client or lose a client, you can always adjust it. It’s just good to have a baseline to start with. 

Step 2: Write Down All Your Fixed Expenses

In business, fixed expenses are costs that don’t change with changes in sales volume. In your life, you can think of fixed expenses similarly. They’re the expenses that are the same every month and are probably something you consider a necessity. For example, your rent payment, your gym membership, your car payment, phone bill, etc. 

Step 3: Write Down All Other Monthly Expenses

There are some expenses you have every month that are variable, such as the amount you spend on groceries/take-out or gas. Like we did in step 1, you can try to come up with an average amount that you spend on these things. 

Step 4: See Where You’re At

Here’s where you’re going to want to whip out the excel or Google Sheet so you don’t have to do mental math. Here’s a photo of how I set my budget up format-wise

Then, you can plug in all the numbers. Step 1’s numbers will go in column C under planned income, and the numbers from step 2 and 3 will go in column C under planned expenses. My list of expenses is quite long, because I’ve been doing this a while, but you can start with fewer and add based on what you find you spend money on. You probably notice I have a column for “fun/travel.” I definitely didn’t when I was living in NYC and struggling to save money, but I do now and you can too based on your saving goals!

If you notice that you spend A LOT in certain categories that might not feel necessary, that’s okay! That’s why you’re doing this. For some tips on how to stop overspending and be better at living the boujie on a budget life, click here. 

Step 5: Crunch some numbers (JK, Excel will do that for you)

Here’s an example of what yours might look like once its filled out:

Putting $800 away each month might be great for you, or you might have something big coming up that you want to save more for. If that’s the case, I like to go through the planned expenses column and see what I can save money on for the month. For example, maybe I can skip out on investing $100 that month, or skip out on going out to eat as often and drop my planned dining out budget to $150. Maybe I can skip getting my nails done, etc. 

Nothing has to be set in stone either and things can be adjusted throughout the month. If you accidentally overspend on groceries—no biggie, you’ve gotta eat. But maybe tell yourself not to do any shopping that month to make up for it. Of course, I don’t know if this is the “perfect” formula, but this is a formula that’s worked for me in the past. Here’s also an example from a year where I wasn’t making as much money (but I was also living at home so I had way less expenses:

Step 6: Put It Into Practice

So by now you should have a rough outline of your monthly budget. Of course, things are always changing, and you didn’t sign it in blood, so if your boyfriend’s birthday is coming up and you want to ball out on his gift, don’t beat yourself up about it. 

The most difficult part of doing your budget this way is not keeping to it, but keeping track of it. Excel isn’t automatically connected to your credit card, so I fill my sheet out manually. It’s a little psychotic perhaps, but it helps me be aware of my spending and stay up to date with where I’m at each month. If I get near the end of the month and I realize I didn’t spend as much as I planned to, I’ll treat myself to a nice meal or buy something I’ve been meaning to purchase. Or, sometimes I’ll just smile and save a bit extra that month.

There are of course apps that can probably automate this for you, but old habits die hard and I like the way I do things. I feel like keeping track of my expenses actually helps me spend less! Or, allows me to feel good when I do treat myself, because I know I don’t do it all the time and usually I’m saving! 

If you have a specific amount you need to save, you can sort of work backwards and start with the amount you need to save, then go from there. Just make sure to include ALL expenses. For example, if you’re saving for a destination wedding, don’t forget to plan for flights, Ubers to the airport, your outfit, your hotel room, any food you’ll need to purchase at the airport or at the hotel, etc. 

I hope this was helpful! And if all you learned was that I’m OCD when it comes to budgeting, then at least you learned that! 

Do blue light glasses really work? Or are they just a marketing ploy? Keep reading for my Jim Halo brand review where I talk about my experience with blue light glasses and highlight some of my fave styles from Jim Halo.

While working my first full-time job out of college, I had a lot of tragic realizations. First off, I spent two hours a day on the subway. Second, by the time I got home I was way too tired to do anything. Third, after staring intently at my laptop for 8 hours a day (it was a “working lunch” culture), my eyes f-ing hurt. 

The crazy thing is, eventually my eyes stopped hurting, which was almost worse because it meant that my eyes grew accustomed to staring at the blue light emanating from my laptop (and probably my phone) for so long.

Luckily, I’ve been able to cut down slightly on my blue light usage, or at least take lunch breaks. However, I do notice that some days my eyes are more sensitive (or just burnt out) than others, and that’s when I call in my blue light glasses. I should probably preventively wear them every day—legit putting mine on as I type this—but I often forget unless I’m just looking for some fashion eyewear to add some pizzaz to my outfit.

I’m not alone. In fact, the sales of blue light glasses have more than doubled during the pandemic, according to NPR. This is because most of us are probably staring at screens more than ever (although TBH, I feel like my blue light consumption has stayed relatively the same). 

I’ve tried blue light glasses from a multitude of brands, and the latest brand I’ve tried is Jim Halo. They offer lots of fun blue light glasses styles, and trendy sunglasses as well.

What I Got: 

Cat Eye Blue Light Glasses | Sandra, $39

Polygon Metal Eye Glasses | Bononia, $49

I chose the “Sandra” glasses for a classic cat eye look, and the Bononia glasses in gold for a more modern and delicate vibe. 

Admittedly, I tend to reach for my blue light glasses for style rather than utility, so the look of my blue light glasses is super important to me. If they’re cute, I’ll wear them more.

I find myself rocking the Sandra glasses more often because they’re super comfy, so I try to remind myself to wear them while working or even before bed while I’m scrolling on my phone (because blue light exposure before bed makes it harder to fall asleep!) They also kinda make me feel like a pin-up girl from the 50’s or a sexy secretary, which is an added bonus.

In terms of the actual blue light protection, I do notice a difference when I wear these glasses. Weirdly, sometimes the eye issues I have manifest in the morning rather than after prolonged exposure. I just wake up feeling like the light from my phone or computer is too bright—kind of like a blue light hangover? So, when I wake up with a headache, I pop these glasses on and they do make it feel easier for me to look at a screen.

Some other fun Blue Light styles from Jim Halo: 

Acetate Glasses | Antipolis, $49

I personally love the clear lenses for a subtle look, and I feel like they’re flattering on everyone. Plus, they’ll match with everything! 

Rectangle Blue Light Glasses | Bobby, $49

These come in yellow frames with blue temples (apparently that’s what the straps on a pair of glasses are called), if you’re looking for something funky. If you have to wear a boring uniform for work, these can be a fun way to show some personality. Or, if you’re wearing pajamas while working from home, they’ll make you look more official. 

Cat-Eye Eyeglasses | Beryl – JH, $39

Whoever said glasses were nerdy clearly never saw these. Take a cat eye and make it more modern + edgy, and you’ll get these cool-girl glasses. The purple ones are extra fun, but you also can’t go wrong with black and gold. I picture these with a slicked back high pony and something sleek + chic. 

But wait, do blue light glasses really work?

A study by Dr. Mark Rosenfield at the College of Optometry at State University of New York found that the feeling of tired eyes that can’t handle anymore screens isn’t actually from the blue light, it’s from the way we’re using (and abusing) screens. Most of us would probably feel relief from these issues if we just took more breaks from our screens. And no, I don’t mean taking a break from work on your computer to scroll TikTok. I mean actually doing something where you’re not looking at any kind of screen.

What the blue light glasses can be good for is preventing disruption of your bodies’ light cycle. I mentioned this earlier: taking in blue light before bed can make your body think it’s not time to sleep yet.

In terms of blue light’s effect on our bodies and if glasses help or not, it’s still kind of difficult to say. The high-rate at which we absorb artificial blue light each day is new, and while a 2018 study found that this blue light may cause future damage, there isn’t quite enough research to really know. 

Unfortunately, many of us like to catch up on texts, Instagram posts, or Tinder before we shut our eyes for the night, so you might want to try keeping your blue light glasses by your bed and wearing them while you doom-scroll yourself to sleep. 

The Bottom Line:

While it’s uncertain how much blue light glasses may prevent eye damage, they definitely won’t hurt! I personally like to wear blue light glasses for the accessory and styling benefits, and if they help my eyes in the process, that’s an added bonus! 

I hope this Jim Halo brand review was helpful to you! Feel free to let me know any questions you may have in the comments section.

Check out my other reviews:

Thank you Jim Halo Eyewear for sponsoring this post!